They were the trousers that kickstarted the 90s trend for builder's bottoms and low-slung jeans but caused controversy when they made their catwalk debut in 1993.

Alexander McQueen's infamous 'bumsters', which made their first appearance in the late designer's 'Nihilism' collection, are among the most iconic of his many designs.

Now a prototype pair made for a friend in 1992 is to go under the hammer - and auctioneers expect the trousers to fetch at least £1,000.

Risque: A pair of Alexander McQueen's low-slung bumster trousers on the catwalk in 1993

The trousers are being sold by Kerry Taylor Auctions as part of their Passion For Fashion sale, which takes place on the 9th December and also includes pieces by Chanel, Issey Miyake and Jean Paul Gaultier among others.

Also going under the hammer are rare 18th and 19th century garments, including a selection of dainty shoes dating from 1780 and a rare pair of swashbuckling Marlborough Bucket Boots made circa 1670 and expected to fetch somewhere in the region of £3,000.

But it is the bumsters that have proved the item of most interest to buyers - something that comes as no surprise to auction boss Taylor.

'These trousers are historically very important as they were the major new fashion statement of the 1990s,' she explains. 'What's more, they were made by Lee McQueen himself.'

Alexander McQueen first introduced the world to his ‘Bumster’ trousers in his ‘Nihilism’ Spring-Summer 1994 collection - and the critics had a field day.

Prototype: This pair of early bumster trousers were made for McQueen's friend Trixie Bellair

Revealing: The trousers measure just 7in from crotch to waistband but are expected to fetch £1,000

Talent: McQueen, who died in 2010, was one of the most talented British designers to emerge in recent years

Many in the fashion press mockingly compared them to the clothes usually worn by builders but despite their best efforts, the trousers became a McQueen signature and regularly appeared in collections throughout his career.

The first pair of bumsters came into being in December 1992 and were made by McQueen as a present for his close friend, the drag artist, Trixie Bellair.

Crafted from shiny grey suiting fabric with a single button and zip fastening to the back, the measurement from the crotch to the waistband is a mere 7in.

The designer later borrowed them back from Trixie to copy in advance of his Nihilism' S/S 1994 collection, where they caused a furore when they first appeared on the catwalk.

Speaking about the controversial trousers in an interview a year before his death, McQueen said that his invention had helped to create a new erogenous zone.

'To me that part of the body, not so much the buttocks but the bottom of the spine, that’s the most erotic part of anyone’s body,' he said. 'Man or woman.

Striking: McQueen was famous for his risque designs which included the bumster (on Kate Moss, right)